The Journey to Becoming Us
by Emma-Lynn
Summary: The missing moments of Ron and Hermione in DH. Follow their tears, their heartahce, and their laughter in The Journey to Becoming Us.
1. The Wedding

**The Wedding**

_**A/N:**_** I don't normally do missing moment fics, but DH had so many moments where something dealing with Ron and Hermione, I couldn't resist! I'm posting these in the order of the book, though I write them sporadically, meaning I've got a few finished but they're not necessarily in order. I'm guessing there'll be about 10 moments, more or less. I think every chapter will contain direct script from the book which will be **_italicized_**. Obviously there are DH spoilers so don't read this if you're not finished.**

**Enjoy!**

**PS: Chapters will be told in different perspectives, whether it be Ron, Hermione, or the both of them. This chapter is in 3****rd**** person, in Hermione's perspective.**

_"Come and dance," he added abruptly to Hermione._

_She looked taken aback, but pleased too, and got up. They vanished together in the growing throng on the dance floor._

_"Ah, they are together now?" asked Krum, momentarily distracted._

_"Er-sort of," said Harry._

Flustered and bewildered, Hermione let herself be pulled onto the dance floor by Ron. He grasped her hand, weaving them through the crowd, only stopping when he found what he must have thought a good spot on the dance floor. The song playing had a quick tempo. Ron hesitated a moment before spinning Hermione outward and back.

Hermione blushed as Ron brought her back to his chest only to spin her back out again in an upbeat dance. She ignored her nervousness though, deciding to simply "have fun for once" as Ron so eloquently put it. She was surprised at the ease in which Ron danced with her. She never thought Ron would be one to enjoy dancing, let alone know how. She laughed with him as he dipped and twirled her to and fro. When the song finally ended, both were out of breath.

"I didn't know you could dance!" Hermione exclaimed fanning herself.

"Yeah, well…" Ron shrugged sheepishly.

"Honestly though, I really didn't imagine you as someone who could dance!"

"Why not?" Ron replied somewhat defensively, though, he tried to hold his temper. Today was probably the last peaceful day they'd have in a long time.

Hermione blushed, not meaning to upset him. "I don't know. I suppose I just never thought about you dancing before. I didn't see you dance at the Yule Ball and I guess I just assumed it was because you didn't know how!"

"Oh," Ron replied a moment later, "That was just a rough night I suppose."

Hermione tilted her head and narrowed her eyes but didn't press the matter any further, and instead took Ron's hand in her own and placed her other arm on Ron's shoulder as the music slowed to a balled.

Ron swallowed and hesitantly placed his hand on Hermione's waist.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, noticing the apprehension on Ron's face.

He smiled sheepishly again. "I'm not so good a slow dancer though." He admitted, concentrating on their feet. "I apologize in advance if I step on your feet."

Hermione laughed softly. "I'm sure you're fine."

There was a brief silence. "I like your shoes." Ron said lamely, still concentrating on not stepping on Hermione's lilac heels.

Hermione laughed again. "I don't. They're positively painful. Though I'm probably just not used to them."

"Why don't you just take them off?"

"Because I can barely dance with you with them on, you're so tall." Hermione explained.

Ron smirked. "I never realized how short you really are." He teased as they swayed slowly to the music.

"I am _not _short! Have you ever considered that perhaps _you're_ too tall?"

"I'm not _that _tall! How tall are you anyway?"

"Five three. And three quarters!" Hermione added quickly when Ron smirked. "Which, I'll have you know, is only one quarter below the average height of women in the UK."

"And what's the average height of men in the UK then?"

"Five eight." Hermione said matter-of-factly.

"Ah, well…"

"Come on, how tall are you?" Hermione bribed.

"Somewhere around six one."

"Merlin you're nearly a foot taller than me!"

"_Or," _Ron bantered, "You'renearly a foot _shorter _than me."

"All the same…" Hermione rolled her eyes playfully as another upbeat tune began.

Several songs and dances later, Hermione found herself, once again, swaying in time to a slow melody in Ron's arms, her head resting comfortably on his chest.

"You look really nice tonight, 'Mione." Ron said quietly.

Hermione smiled to herself remembering Ron's look of awe as she walked towards him earlier that day in her lilac dress. "No tone of surprise?" She asked playfully lifting her head up.

"No." He said staring down into her brown eyes. He blushed. "I-I mean, you always look- you know, nice." He stuttered, "I-I mean you're really, you're really b-beau-" Ron stopped, his blush spreading as Hermione smiled bashfully.

His blue eyes locked with her brown ones, and Hermione felt her heart quicken as he slowly, hesitantly, lowered his head. She continued to stare, her lips slightly parted as he neared closer. Finally, she let her eyes drift down to his lips. Just as she was about to lean up and meet him, the music changed to another quick song, and Ron was jostled backwards slightly by the crowd.

Their connection broken, Ron cleared his throat awkwardly. "I'll uh, get us some butterbeers, yeah?"

"Yeah, yeah that sounds great. My feet are killing me anyways." She smiled.

"Alright, I'll ah, meet you back at the table with Harry then."

Hermione nodded and she and Ron parted in separate directions. Although slightly disappointed, Hermione let a small smile play upon her lips as she made her way through the bustling crowd. Maybe they hadn't kissed, as she'd hoped for, but she knew that he'd hoped to kiss her as well. They'd danced to more songs than she could count. And she couldn't erase the way he looked at her; the way his eyes darkened. He'd never looked at her like that. Feeling particularly giddy, she continued jostling her way through the crowed to Harry.

_"I simply can't dance anymore," she panted, slipping off one of her shoes and rubbing the sole of her foot. "Ron's gone looking to find more butterbeers."_

_"The ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming."_

_"Ron!" Hermione cried. "Ron, where are you?"_

_"Ron! Ron!" Hermione called, half sobbing as she and Harry were buffeted by terrified guests: Harry seized her hand to make sure they weren't separated as a streak of light whizzed over their heads, whether a protective charm of something more sinister he did not know—_

_And then Ron was there. He caught hold of Hermione's free arm, and Harry felt her turn on the spot;_

**A/N: Excuse the American metric system, I'm terrible at math and didn't quite feel like converting feet and inches! This isn't one of my favorite missing moments that I've written, but I hope you liked it. Reviews are always encouraged!**

**Next chapter: Grimmauld Place.**

**xxEmmaLynn**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, creatures or anything else in this FanFiction. All belongs to the wonderful JK Rowling.**


	2. Grimmald Place

**Grimmauld Place**

_On the word _kill,_ the figure exploded in a great cloud of dust: Coughing, his eyes watering, Harry looked around to see Hermione crouched on the floor by the door with her arms over her head, and Ron, who was shaking from head to foot, patting her clumsily on the shoulder and saying "it's all r-right…it's g-gone…"_

_"Family safe, do not reply, we are being watched."_

_The Patronus dissolved into nothingness. Ron let out a noise between a whimper and a groan and dropped onto the sofa: Hermione joined him, gripping his arm._

_"They're all right, they're all right!" she whispered, and Ron half laughed and hugged her._

Hermione gripped Ron's arm tighter, glancing around the dark house, her eyes drifting towards the rug where "Old Dusty" had emerged. She shuddered, moving closer to Ron.

_"I don't want to be on my own." _She heard herself saying. _"Could we use the sleeping bags I've brought and camp in here tonight?" _She felt a bit silly asking this; like she was six again, crawling in between her parents in their bedroom, the creaking of the tree outside having frightened her. But she knew it would make her feel better. Ron made her feel safe. Ron and Harry both did.

"Of course, 'Mione." Ron said, placing his hand over her own which was still gripping his arm. Hermione smiled up at him gratefully, before resting her forehead on his shoulder. She heard Harry mumble something about the bathroom before he fled the room. She breathed deeply, Ron's unique scent calming her. "Are you all right?" Ron asked softly. She nodded.

"It's just…it's really happening isn't it?" She asked him. "The war—it-it's really here isn't it?" Ron didn't say anything, but let her finish her disquieting. "People are being killed….Mad-Eye's dead…" she paused, "_**we**_could die…" she peered wistfully into his eyes.

"Yeah." He said gently, nodding, "We might."

Hermione stared up at him for another moment before nodding in acceptance. She needed to hear the truth and he told her exactly that. They both knew that there was a great chance that they might die on this journey, but accepting the fact was oddly comforting. "I should change." Hermione said pulling at her dress. Unlike the boys, she hadn't changed in the alley. She stood. "Thank you," she added, and kissed him on the cheek, and turned to retrieve her pajamas from the bag. She grabbed Harry's toothbrush for him as well, and headed up the stairs to change.

Ron remained on the couch, slightly mollified. Shaking his head, he quickly put on his night clothes as well. He then proceeded to lay out the sleeping bags in front of the sofa. He sat himself on the sleeping bag farthest to the right. Then he stood again. He couldn't seem to stay still. He glanced at the sleeping bag in the middle, then at the moth-eaten couch. Perhaps he should be chivalrous and offer Hermione to sleep on the couch while he and Harry took the floor? _No, _he blushed, _then I can't sleep next to her. _He pondered for a moment before he began ripping the cushions off the couch.

"What are you doing?"

"Uh…" Ron blushed, slowing his motions. "I thought you'd be more comfortable on the cushions than, you know…the floor." He placed the middle sleeping bag over the neatly laid cushions.

Hermione's cheeks tinged the faintest pink. "Ron, that's very sweet of you but the floor is-"

"I know I just...I don't know." Ron's blush deepened as he mentally scolded himself. _Seemed like a good idea at the time…now I just feel stupid. _He went to replace the cushions when Hermione stopped him, but didn't say anything. "I just thought maybe-"

"Ron, just because I'm a girl doesn't-"

"I didn't do it because you're a girl Hermione! Merlin, I try to do something-"

"I can handle-"

"I know Hermione! Just I- Just sleep on them will you?" Ron said getting frustrated.

Unbeknownst to either of them, Harry had entered the room and was slipping into his own sleeping bag and removing his glasses. "Just do what he says Hermione." He mumbled tiredly.

Hermione huffed but didn't press the matter further and straightened the cushions and her sleeping bag before slipping in. Ron extinguished the dim lights with his wand before hunkering down into his own sleeping bag. He glanced over at Hermione, who he could see in the faint moonlight, laying on her back staring at the ceiling. Ron mimicked her actions, placing his hands behind his head. His head swarmed with worried thoughts of the future, and Ron didn't realize how long he'd been thinking until he heard a soft snore that belonged to Harry. He heard Hermione shift next to him and turn over to face her. Harry snored softly again. Hermione giggled quietly and Ron smiled back. They lay like this for a while, how long, neither of them knew, just staring at each other. Then to Ron's horror, Hermione's eyes filled with tears. He peered questionably at her, concern taking over his features. Hermione sniffed quietly, and Ron reached out for her hand as he watched a tear escape the corner of her eye. He scooted his sleeping bag closer to her. He waited patiently for Hermione to speak, gently stroking the back of her hand with his thumb.

"I'm scared." She whispered in a thick voice. And Ron didn't need to ask of what. He knew what she was afraid of. She was still frightened by the site of Dumbledore's demented corpse; she was scared for her parents' safety, scared for his family. She was scared of never returning to school. Scared for what the future held.

"It's ok." He whispered back. "And it's ok to be scared."

"Are you scared?" she asked.

Ron hesitated before answering, "Yeah, I am."

She was silent for another moment. "Promise me we'll come out of this alive?"

Ron's heart sank. "Hermione…" he said slowly, "you know I can't promise you that." Hermione bit her lip, holding back a sob. Ron's hand moved up to her forearm, gently stroking it. "But I can promise I won't leave you."

Hermione sniffed. "Pinky promise?" Hermione asked, offering him her pink finger.

Ron smiled a small smile. "Pinky promise." He confirmed, linking his pinky with hers. Ron watched as Hermione's eyes dropped lower and lower, before finally fluttering closed. He watched her sleep, until his own eyes became tired, and he drifted off to sleep, his pinky still inked with hers.

_Harry glanced over at the dark shapes they made on the floor beside him. Ron had had a fit of gallantry and insisted that Hermione sleep on the cushions from the sofa, so that her silhouette was raised above his. Her arm curved to the floor, her fingers inches from Ron's. Harry wondered whether they had fallen asleep holding hands._

**A/N: Sorry it took a bit longer to update than I expected. Hope you liked it though! Next chapter is when Ron gets splinched!**

**Have a nice day…or night!**

**xXx-EmmaLynn**

**PS: I love reviews! ;-)**


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